WITCH - The Queen

Chapter 23

Friedrich

Friedrich strolled bored through the corridors of the strange castle. He had long since gotten used to the many vampires. They didn't scare him anymore. Not since he spent a night with a pretty vampire... And fathered a child with her. He thought it was impossible.

It was the stupidest mistake of his life.

"Friedrich!" Coletta approached him. She moved her hips like a silent invitation. "How nice. Are you looking for some variety?" She winked at him.

"Not really, no. Coletta? You wrote me about Coralie, but not about you being here! What were you thinking?" He crossed his arms angrily. "Now my wife knows about it!"

"Well. I missed my family. And my little one knows her father now. What do you think? Shall we make another little Coletta together? I would love that! A casual, little celebration of love? I don't have the impression that your wife gives you that. And I don't care much about her opinion."

"No. If you excuse me, please?" With a sigh, he walked past her. Of course, he was interested in her. More than just 'interested'. But Agathe had figured it out. He feared what she might do if he spent more time in bed with Coletta.

An hour later, he and his wife, his angry queen, left. While their suitcases were being loaded into the carriage, Friedrich watched as Marlon gave his wife a short piece of rope and spoke quietly to her. Agathe seemed more than satisfied. What Friedrich overlooked, however, was that Marlon slipped her a note.

When they had been on the road for a while, he asked her about it. "Why did the prince give you a rope? And only a small piece?"

"It's a sign of goodwill." Agathe smiled.

"Of goodwill?"

"This rope can hold dragons. Queen Franka and King Henry have listened to my request, but they still want to discuss whether they want to provide us, their allies, with their rope! Or their steel." Agathe looked angrily out of the window. "Discuss! The method of making this rope is secret. The prince was kind enough to give me a piece. Maybe we can reproduce it? If we don't get the ropes."

"Do his parents know about it?" Friedrich frowned. "If the method of production is secret?"

"No." Now she looked at him. Agathe smiled. "He decided that alone."

"Why would he?"

"Because he has recognized our need, my dear. And now to another topic: I assume that I will not be surprised with another child?"

"Of course not!", Friedrich replied quickly. "No. No."

"You've said that before, my dear."

Lea

There was a lack of students. A handful of second and third-graders had not returned for the start of school. Of course, the parents were contacted. The result was staggering. The young witches and wizards were missing.

They had all disappeared overnight.

What was going on?

Lea rested her head on her desk. She didn't like the whole thing. Something was going on.

But what?

Finn

Finn and Marko sat at the edge of the river and put their bare feet in the cool water. It was early in the morning. Everyone else was still asleep. Finn had rested his head on Marko's shoulder and was enjoying the peace.

From time to time they heard centaurs talking to each other, but the voices were quiet. Only a few were already awake.

"Finn?", Marko finally broke the silence.

"Yes?"

"You like cuddling with me, right?"

Finn took his head off Marko's shoulder and looked at him confused. "Yes. Of course."

"And you like kisses too."

"Name me someone who doesn't like kisses!", he replied, laughing.

"Hm." Marko thought for a moment. "Peter?"

"I'm sure that Peter also appreciates kisses!" Finn, again, rested his head back on Marko's shoulder, who now put his arm around him. Finn closed his eyes dreamily and inhaled the scent of his wolf.

"Finn, I thought..." Marko scratched his head sheepishly. "Maybe you want to try something new? More than just cuddles and kisses?"

"Yes and no", Finn answered truthfully. Restlessly, he opened his eyes again. His cheeks turned red. Finn had often seen Marko without clothes, but... "My bones break so fast. I don't think I want to try. No."

Marko sighed. "Not even... No, forget it." He sounded disappointed.

„What?"

But a familiar smell interrupted the two. Marko sighed. Elodie was awake and approached them. Finn turned to his mother. The wolf smiled tiredly. "Have you made yourself comfortable?", she asked.

"Good morning, Beta Elodie!", Marko greeted her with forced cheerfulness. He used her old title. Finn's mother herself was not a beta wolf. His father had been a beta. She had gotten the title through him.

She sat down with the two and held her face in the first rays of sunshine. "This is wonderful. But I'm not a Beta anymore, Marko. Levi is now the Beta of the pack. Together with his boyfriend."

"His boyfriend?" Finn looked at Marko. He shrugged his shoulders. That made Elodie laugh.

"Of course, you don't know anything about it. A few months ago, we rescued a young werewolf from another pack. He had been badly treated there. The boy's name is Mads. Levi got it bad. He's in love... The two are a sweet couple", she said.

"From another pack? Which one?", Marko wanted to know.

"That of Alpha Ava. A terrible person. The boy is doing much better with us. Levi has followed in your footsteps, Marko, by the way."

"How so?" Marko raised his eyebrows. "Is he trying to become an Alpha even though he's a beta?"

Finn grinned. "Has Levi now gone among the troublemakers?"

"Certainly!" His mother lay down in the grass and sighed contentedly. "At least... Until he officially became Beta. And Mads is some sort of trouble too. But the boy can sing! Unfortunately, he does not like to sing in front of an audience. I hope you two meet him one day."

"Yes. That would be nice," Finn agreed. He felt homesick suddenly and buried his face in Marko's clothes.

(c: sasi)

Do you want to know more about Mads? He is a character of my short novel 'Wolf - The two Packs'.